


Secret Keeping

by tantamountess



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 22:10:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17516756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tantamountess/pseuds/tantamountess
Summary: After TJ confides in Buffy, the two grow closer-- but how will this impact their relationships with their best friends?





	1. Chapter One

As January crept up on Shadyside, the air was getting colder and colder. TJ Kippen’s breath froze in the air when he exhaled. He raised his fist and knocked three times on the heavy wooden door, and after a short time, it opened to reveal—  
“Hi, Buffy.”  
“TJ?” Buffy Driscoll stood in the doorway, a mix of confusion and consternation on her face. “What are you doing here?”  
TJ paused, and Buffy took a moment to look over the boy about whom she’d had so many feelings; she’d hated him, been surprised by him again and again, and been in sheer awe of the boy’s seeming lack of self-awareness and moral compass. And yet, he had been growing on her— not because of what he’d done for her, but what he’d done for Cyrus.  
Cyrus Goodman was many things to many people. To the outside world, he was anywhere from a lovable goofball who cared about other people, to a helpless and inconsiderate meddler who couldn’t do anything for himself or solve his own issues, let alone others’. To his parents (all four of them), he was the smartest, sweetest, most perfect boy in the whole world. To his best friends, Buffy and Andi, he was a wonderful friend, a mediator, and an amazing person with an uncanny knack for bringing everybody together.  
At times, though, even the people who loved him the most were forced to admit the fact that he sometimes had trouble taking care of himself. The only person in his life who seemed to be able to overlook this fact was TJ.  
Buffy had been astounded over the past half year as TJ did things she didn’t know were possible— and that she certainly had never expected from TJ. He not only pushed Cyrus to get his own muffin, but defended Cyrus to Buffy. To Buffy! Cyrus’s best friend! TJ went to Cyrus when they were both feeling insecure, and Buffy was utterly astounded. TJ started calling Cyrus some weird nickname, and Cyrus seemed to like it. He was even at Cyrus’s bar mitzvah.  
It was clear to Buffy that TJ cared about Cyrus. Even stranger, Cyrus cared about TJ. And it wasn’t fair, Buffy decided, to keep them apart. So she tried— she really tried— to be civil to TJ. But it was hard.  
So you can see, now, why it was a little bit confusing and consternating when TJ showed up on Buffy’s doorstep at nearly-midnight in freezing weather, without hair gel, wearing sweatpants and glasses. You’ll remember that Buffy has just asked TJ what he was doing there.  
TJ opened his mouth, and closed it, and opened it. “Can I come in?” he asked hesitantly.  
Buffy grimaced, but opened the door wider. TJ stepped in. In the warm glow of electric light, Buffy noticed that he actually looked, well...bad. His eyes were red, as though he’d been crying, and dark circles were beneath them. “You doin’ okay, bud?”  
TJ looked at her and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes...no? I don’t know anymore.”  
“Well, uh...sit down.”  
TJ sat on Buffy’s gray suede sofa and took a deep breath. He put his head in his hands.  
“Whoa,” Buffy said, and sat next to him. She hesitantly put an arm around him, this guy who she thought she hated. Who she maybe still hated. “Hey, TJ, you can talk to me.”  
She heard a muffled groan. “I’m gay,” TJ said finally, and then, “and I’m in love with Cyrus.”  
There was a pause. “Okay.”  
He looked up. “Okay?”  
Buffy nodded.  
“Okay,” said TJ.  
“Okay,” said Buffy.  
TJ leaned into Buffy and buried his face in her shoulder. She pulled him a little bit closer. “Hey, hey, it’s alright. It’s gonna be okay.”  
“Buffy, what am I going to do?” TJ asked, tears in his eyes.  
“What do you mean?”  
“About Cyrus.”  
“Again, what do you mean?”  
“Well, I just...I really like him. I don’t know how I’m going to get over this.”  
Buffy shifted to face him and a smiled grazed her lips. “Who says you have to?”  
He only looked at her, not understanding.  
“TJ. He likes you too.”  
A million emotions crossed his face then— confusion, shock, disbelief, euphoria. “Really? He told you?”  
“He didn’t need to— it’s pretty obvious,” she laughed.  
“Oh. Oh.” TJ shook his head, tears of joy now streaming down his face. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and grinned. “Oh.”  
Buffy took his hands. “Listen, TJ. I’m here for you, okay? I… I know we don’t always get along. But I’m here for you. And Cyrus, too. I’m sure he feels the same way.”  
“Thanks, Buffy. That means a lot.”  
“Always.”  
“Hey, can I, um—”  
“Stay over? Of course, TJ, it’s past midnight. Did you walk here?”  
“Well, yeah.”  
Buffy laughed. “Alright. I’m going to go get changed.”  
“Okay.”  
And Buffy came back and the two of them felt a sudden wave of exhaustion. “See you tomorrow,” they both breathed, and then TJ Kippen and Buffy Driscoll fell asleep with their fingers intertwined.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andi and Cyrus grow suspicious of their friends' newfound solidarity.

TJ Kippen woke up and momentarily forgot where he was. He blinked for a few seconds and looked down to see Buffy, still sleeping on the floor next to the couch. He sat up, nudged her shoulder and whispered. “Buffy. Hey.”

Buffy blinked and woke up suddenly. It was so sudden, in fact, that TJ was a bit startled when she sat up right away. “G’morning,” she rasped.

“Morning.” TJ, with some effort, moved to a standing position and offered a hand to Buffy. She took it, seeming a bit surprised.

“So. Do you, um, want something to eat?” Buffy asked, standing up as well.

TJ glanced at his phone— it was nearly noon. “Oh, shoot. I have work in an hour. I should probably go,” he said, clearly wanting nothing of the sort.

“Oh. Right.” Buffy nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll see you at school.”

TJ was zipping up his jacket. “Yeah. See you.”

They exchanged a civil nod and TJ opened the door. “Oh, and, TJ,” Buffy said, after a moment of consideration, “good luck. With everything. With Cyrus.”

TJ smiled. “Thanks.” 

“Oh!” Buffy exclaimed. “Wait!”

“Yeah?” TJ turned and smirked.

“Do you, uh, want to come to the Spoon later? With me? And Andi and Cyrus?”

“Yeah, sure,” TJ said after thinking for a minute. “I get off at 2:30, so, meet you then?”

“Cool.” 

“See you around, Driscoll.”

The door shut, and the former rivals each let out a breath neither had realized they’d been holding. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a door was opening. Cyrus Goodman was stepping into Andi Mack’s living room. 

“Hey, Andi,” said Cyrus brightly, walking into his friend’s home.

“Hey, Cy,” Andi replied. “What’s up?”

“Oh, not much. How about you?” 

Cyrus and Andi sat down at the kitchen table, where Andi poured two glasses of watermelon juice. “The same. Bex and Cece are out trying on wedding dresses. Bowie’s at the Red Rooster. I’ve just been hanging out here.”

“You didn’t go with Bex? I would’ve thought that you would have jumped at the chance to pair wedding planning with fashion.” Cyrus sipped the juice and smiled.

“Yeah, I wanted to, but Cece thought that I shouldn’t see her until the wedding day. Bad luck or something. I think she was mixing something up there, but...”

“Bet Bex would’ve rather had you go in her place.”

Andi laughed. “Yeah.” There was a pause between the two. It wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest; the two friends were close enough that they could have just sat in silence for hours and had a good time. Andi piped up again after a moment, though. “So, have you heard from Buffy today?”

“No, actually, I haven’t.” Cyrus had texted Buffy earlier, but she hadn’t responded. He told Andi this, and a concerned look crossed her face.

“That’s weird. Buffy’s usually quick to text back.”

“Yeah. Probably just slept in.” 

As if on cue, Andi’s phone beeped. “It’s Buffy,” she informed Cyrus. “She wants to meet us at the Spoon in a little bit. 2 and a half hours.”

“Sounds good. She say anything else?” 

“Uh, yeah...she’s typing.” Another beep. Andi looked at her phone in shock.

“What?”

“She’s bringing TJ.”

Cyrus raised his eyebrows. “That’s great! I’m glad they’re getting along. Wonder why, though.”

“Yeah. Weird.”

Two and a half hours later, the pair approached their group’s longtime meeting spot. “You ready?” Andi asked Cyrus.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Andi shrugged, looking reluctant, but she followed Cyrus into the Spoon as the bell tinkled. She scanned the room and located her best friend sitting across from her former rival. Andi nudged Cyrus and gestured in TJ’s and Buffy’s direction, and they began walking towards the others.

“Hey, guys!” Buffy greeted them cheerfully as Andi sat next to her and Cyrus sat next to TJ. 

“Hey,” Andi responded, nodding. Cyrus gave a small wave.

“So, what’s up?” asked Cyrus, looking from TJ to Buffy.

“Oh, nothing,” Buffy said casually. “Hey, Amber. We ordered for you guys.”

Cyrus and Andi greeted Amber as she served four milkshakes– vanilla for Andi, strawberry for Buffy, chocolate for Cyrus, and peanut for TJ– and two orders of baby taters. 

“Bon appetit,” Amber muttered, walking away, tired as always.

“So…” Andi began awkwardly. “Why…are you guys, um, hanging out?”

TJ and Buffy looked at each other, half-smiling. “Well,” Buffy said tentatively. “We, um, had a sleepover last night.”

Andi and Cyrus were surprised, to say the least. “Well!” Cyrus said, a bit too loud. “Um, I’m glad you guys are getting along!” 

“You could say that,” TJ said, giving Buffy a knowing look.

“This is…bizarre,” Andi whispered, leaning across the table to Cyrus. 

“I have to agree,” he responded.

The four joked, chatted, and ate for the next couple hours. Though new, hanging out with TJ felt strangely natural to the Good Hair Crew. After a while, though, TJ glanced down at his phone and back up at the group regretfully. "Sorry, guys. I gotta go-- curfew."

"Your curfew is before Cyrus's?" Andi inquired, and was met with a baby tater tossed at her by Cyrus.

"My parents aren't that protective," he complained.

Buffy stood up. “I should head out, too. Got some...stuff.”

“Stuff?” asked Andi pointedly.

“Yeah. Stuff. School stuff.”

“See you later,” called Cyrus as she and TJ left.

“So what’s up with that?” Andi whispered confidentially.

“What?” Cyrus was oblivious.

“They’re, like, obviously dating, right?” 

“Oh,” Cyrus said, realizing. “That’s...nice.”

“Are you kidding? It’s so bad! What if TJ hurts her?”

But Cyrus wasn’t listening. He agreed that, yes, it was bad, but unlike Andi, he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

**Author's Note:**

> so ahhh this is my first chaptered fic!! i really like it haha i don't know if i'll finish it but i hope so. any and all comments are greatly appreciated-- thanks in advance!!!! oh also the formatting and line spacing is really weird; sorry about that! when i wrote this originally, i formatted it so there was an indent before each new paragraph, but for some reason when i copied and pasted it from google docs it messed up the indentations and wouldn't let me change them. i know how to correctly format paragraphs, i swear!!!


End file.
